The present invention relates generally to devices used by underwater divers for supporting equipment and for maintaining neutral buoyancy during dives. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved buoyancy compensator, particularly well suited for use by women, that more comfortably conforms to the divers body morphology and more effectively supports loads encountered both underwater during a dive and out of the water during preparation for and following a dive.
Various structures have been proposed and are currently available for supporting equipment used by underwater divers. Such structures often include a support harness and backpack for holding one or more pressurized diving tanks behind the divers back. A buoyancy compensating device, often referred to as a "BC," may be incorporated with the tank support structure, or may be provided as a separable unit. Such BC's typically include a sealed bladder or air cell that can be selectively inflated or vented by the diver as needed to maintain a neutral buoyancy during the dive, thus facilitating underwater activities and swimming. A weight system may be incorporated into the BC to allow the diver to insert and remove weights for additional buoyancy control.
Known BC structures are configured to fit snugly around the diver's torso, such as by adjustable straps wrapping around the diver's shoulders and waist. Where a tank supporting backpack is incorporated in the device, the position of the backpack may sometimes be made adjustable by means of the strap arrangement. Moreover, certain BC's may incorporate an integrated ballast weight system into a unitary structure. Where a weight system is not included in the BC, the diver will often opt to wear a separate weight belt below the tank support and BC structure.
While such BC devices have substantially improved the comfort and facility of underwater diving, they are not without drawbacks. For example, despite the adjustability of known BC and tank support systems, they are often uncomfortable or unwieldy for certain divers, such as women. Generally, with few exceptions, heretofore known tank supports and BC's have been designed similar to orienteering backpacks, having a pair of shoulder straps, a sternum strap and a waist belt, all designed for use by men of relatively standard size and morphology. As a result, such structures often provide insufficient adjustability for smaller persons. Moreover, the shoulder strap, backpack and sternum strap arrangements of conventional tank supports and BC's are not well suited to the upper body configuration of most women. While attempts have been made to improve or adapt such structures for women and other divers, these have provided only limited success.
There is a need, therefore, for a tank support and buoyancy compensating device that provides a greater degree of comfort and adjustability for a range of body morphologies, especially those of women. In particular, there is a need for an improved diving garment that will fit comfortably, yet securely over the bust and hip regions, without unduly limiting the diver's freedom of movement or compromising the effectiveness of the support. The device should advantageously provide for adequate and comfortable support of diving equipment, such as a pressurized air tank, a BC air cell and a weight system, both during underwater dives and out of water during transport, preparation and following dives.